1. A. Long enough has our work been intermitted, and impatient is Love, nor have tears a measure, unless to Love is given what is loved: wherefore, let us enter upon the Second Book. R. Let us enter upon it. A. Let us believe that God will be present. R. Let us believe indeed, if even this is in our power. A. Our power He Himself is. R. Therefore pray most briefly and perfectly, as much as thou canst. A. God, always the same, let me know myself, let me know Thee. I have prayed. R. Thou who wilt know thyself, knowest thou that thou art? A. I know. R. Whence knowest thou? A. I know not. R. Feelest thou thyself to be simple, or manifold? A. I know not. R. Knowest thou thyself to be moved? A. I know not. R. Knowest thou thyself to think? A. I know. R. Therefore it is true that thou thinkest. A. True. R. Knowest thou thyself to be immortal? A. I know not. R. Of all these things which thou hast said that thou knowest not: which dost thou most desire to know? A. Whether I am immortal. R. Therefore thou lovest to live? A. I confess it. R. How will the matter stand when thou shalt have learned thyself to be immortal? Will it be enough? A. That will indeed be a great thing, but that to me will be but slight. R. Yet in this which is but slight how much wilt thou rejoice? A. Very greatly. R. For nothing then wilt thou weep? A. For nothing at all. R. What if this very life should be found such, that in it it is permitted thee to know nothing more than thou knowest? Wilt thou refrain from tears? A. Nay verily, I will weep so much that life should cease to be. R. Thou dost not then love to live for the mere sake of living, but for the sake of knowing. A. I grant the inference. R. What if this very knowledge of things should itself make thee wretched? A. I do not believe that that is in any way possible. But if it is so, no one can be blessed; for I am not now wretched from any other source than from ignorance of things. And therefore if the knowledge of things is wretchedness, wretchedness is everlasting. R. Now I see all which you desire. For since you believe no one to be wretched by knowledge, from which it is probable that intelligence renders blessed; but no one is blessed unless living, and no one lives who is not: thou wishest to be, to live and to have intelligence; but to be that thou mayest live, to live that thou mayest have intelligence. Therefore thou knowest that thou art, thou knowest that thou livest, thou knowest that thou dost exercise intelligence. But whether these things are to be always, or none of these things is to be, or something abides always, and something falls away, or whether these things can be diminished and increased, all things abiding, thou desirest to know. A. So it is. R. If therefore we shall have proved that we are always to live, it will follow also that we are always to be. A. It will follow. R. It will then remain to inquire concerning intellection.

CAPUT PRIMUM. De immortalitate hominis.

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1. A. Satis intermissum est opus nostrum, et impatiens est amor, nec lacrymis modus fit, nisi amori detur quod amatur: quare, aggrediamur librum secundum. R. Aggrediamur. A. Credamus Deum affuturum. R. Credamus sane, si vel hoc in potestate nostra est. A. Potestas nostra ipse est. R. Itaque ora brevissime ac perfectissime, quantum potes. A. Deus semper idem, noverim me, noverim te. Oratum est. R. Tu qui vis te nosse, scis esse te? A. Scio. R. Unde scis? A. Nescio. R. Simplicem te sentis, anne multiplicem? A. Nescio. R. Moveri te scis? A. Nescio. R. Cogitare te scis? A. Scio. R. Ergo verum est cogitare te. A. Verum. R. Immortalem te esse scis? A. Nescio. R. Horum omnium quae te nescire dixisti, quid scire prius mavis? A. Utrum immortalis sim. R. Vivere igitur amas? A. Fateor. R. Quid, cum te immortalem esse didiceris? satisne erit? A. Erit id quidem magnum, sed id mihi parum. R. Hoc tamen quod parum est quantum gaudebis? A. Plurimum. R. Nihil jam flebis? A. Nihil omnino. R. Quid, si ipsa vita talis esse inveniatur, ut in ea tibi nihil amplius quam nosti, nosse liceat? temperabis a lacrymis? A. Imo tantum flebo ut vita nulla sit. R. Non igitur vivere propter ipsum vivere amas, sed propter scire. A. Cedo conclusioni. R. Quid, si eadem ipsa rerum scientia miserum faciat? A. Nullo id quidem pacto fieri posse credo. Sed si ita est, nemo esse beatus potest; non enim nunc aliunde sum miser, nisi rerum ignorantia. Quod si et rerum scientia miserum facit, sempiterna miseria est. R. Jam video totum quod cupis. Nam, quoniam neminem scientia miserum esse credis, ex quo probabile est ut intelligentia efficiat beatum; beatus autem nemo nisi vivens, et nemo vivit qui non est: esse vis, vivere et intelligere; sed esse ut vivas, vivere ut intelligas. Ergo esse te scis, vivere te scis, intelligere te scis. Sed utrum ista semper futura sint, an nihil horum futurum sit, an maneat aliquid semper, et aliquid intercidat, an minui et augeri haec possint, cum omnia mansura sint, nosse vis. A. Ita est. R. Si igitur probaverimus semper nos esse victuros, sequetur etiam semper futuros. A. Sequetur. R. Restabit quaerere de intelligendo.